Special event brings TSA and all Community Gateway Associations together

A special event was held on Saturday 6th June by Greenfields Community Housing to celebrate the partnership between all Community Gateway Associations in England and to promote Community Gateway to the Tenant Services Authority.

The event was an ideal opportunity for all four associations to present their unique collaborative DVD about Community Gateway to Peter Marsh, Chief Executive of TSA, as part of their contribution towards the National Conversation. The associations involved were: Community Gateway Association in Preston, Phoenix Community Housing in Lewisham, Watford Community Housing Trust and Greenfields Community Housing in Essex.

60 people gathered together; including tenants, Board members and staff from each association. Throughout the day, all attendees worked together to build strong relationships and helped kick-start Phase 2 of the TSA’s National Conversation, by giving their views on the TSA’s ideas for a national standards framework. This framework included standards for repairs & maintenance, safety and security in neighbourhoods, reasonable rents and decent quality homes.

Peter Marsh said of the standards framework: “This will bring a comparison of all housing organisations – it’s as powerful as anything that we do; and Community Gateway is a possible route to future success for other organisations"

The collaborative DVD explains the benefits and the change in culture that the Community Gateway approach has brought to the organisations involved and why the TSA should be listening to our experience as it develops its new National Standards Framework.

Leigh Jones, Chair of the Greenfields’ Community Gateway Group, said: “Community Gateway gives residents every opportunity to get involved in making decisions about their homes and communities. Who better to influence the decisions than the people that the decisions affect?”

Diane Lee, Tenant Chair of Watford Community Housing Trust, said of the event: “It is brilliant that it has brought us all together and we are thrilled with the DVD; I feel inspired. The strength and togetherness of the Community Gateway associations helps to create better lives for everybody.”